Tears and Flames
by Diluculo
Summary: ToE: :one-shot: :KeelexFarah fluff: :spoilers to Regulus Knoll: AUish campfire scene where Farah confesses.


**A/N: ** Hooray, Eternia! Someone hit me if I misspelled any names, ok? o.o (btw, this has nothing to do with Valentine's Day. It's a coincidence, believe me.)

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She never thought she'd return. Well, at least not so soon. Farah paused before the gates of Regulus Knoll, but as she moved to unlock the wrought-iron gate, Reid pushed past her saying something about Max, broke the lock clean off, and flung the gates open. She smiled faintly. He was always so... outgoing. She supposed she was too, outwardly, but there was no denying that all she wanted to do then and there was turn around and go back to her home in Rasheans. But she must be strong. She must be strong. _She must be strong._

Farah trailed behind Keele and their flamboyant Celestian companion. Reid took the forefront as usual, fending off as many of the weaker monsters as he could. Farah couldn't help but wonder why she felt so_ exhausted_; even Keele was holding up quite well, but that may have been simply his eagerness to find the Libavius Ore. For something that she herself had announced so abruptly, he was oddly trusting of her judgment. But—her hand flew to her mouth before she could stop herself—did he remember? Yes, he had to, but was that his silent way of _mocking_ her? His lax cooperation, his serene calmness... He had to know. There was no way anything like that could have escaped him so effortlessly. She couldn't _shake _that feeling for even a second, and each step further through the maze of crumbling marble and light, airy grasses stirred up those horrid memories. Every second of it, every scream and lick of flame had been scored painfully into her mind. Had the same not been for Keele and Reid? They were only _seven,_for Seyfert's sake, how could they have known any better?! They, of all people, should not have been involved. It just wasn't _right._

Keele's sharp halt failed to register in Farah's lost eyes, and she nearly stumbled over him. "Hey," he said, "Watch where you're going, Farah!"

She looked up to him quickly. "Sorry, Keele."

"Farah okay?" Meredy piped up. "Farah looked sad. Can Meredy help?"

She gave the young girl a soft smile. "It's nothing, Meredy. Don't worry about it."

Reid scanned the area carefully. He turned to the other three, saying, "You want to rest here for now?"

Farah nodded. "Sure."

The redhead gathered a tidy stack of firewood, and Keele lit it with the flick of a few Fire Craymels. The fire sprang to the dry wood instantly. _Instantly._ Farah watched the fire warily. It was just a small fire. Controlled. But so _fast_. It was frightening how damn _fast_ it was, and it never slowed with size. No, fire remained just that fast no matter how big it got. The others relaxed, taking turns digging through the bag of supplies for something in the way of supper.

"Reid, you've had your turn!" Keele fussed, reaching for the bag.

"Hey, I haven't decided yet!" He tugged it closer to his body.

"Eat the first thing in there. It's not like you taste your food, anyway!" Keele shot back.

Meredy giggled. "Reid can't taste?"

Reid's face became a mask of indignant astonishment. "L-Look, I've only even had it for—"

"Twenty minutes," Keele finished. "I think it's someone else's turn now!"

"It was _not_ twenty minutes, Keele," he replied flatly. "Ten at most. But fine. Egg Bear jerky it is." Reid yanked the mahogany strips of meat from the bag and tossed it to the scholar. Keele raised his arms to catch it meekly, but he missed, and it spilled onto the ground. Meredy continued to laugh.

Keele picked up the fallen supplies, grumbling. "Did you _have_to throw it that hard?!"

Farah continued to watch silently. Keele scrambled over to Reid, furious, and swatted at the redhead. Reid dodged and rolled out of the way. Always so... carefree. Even when they both well knew where they were and... what _she_ had done.

"Guys, I think that's enough," she said finally, standing. "Let's all eat. And... I have something I want to tell you."

Reid and Keele stopped at her solemn tone. They returned to the fire, the scholar panting lightly, and went back to rooting through their available food. After a moment listening to nothing but the scuffle of the bag being jostled and the odd distant monster cry, Farah began to speak.

"Remember when we first came here as kids?"

Reid nodded. His expression was dire; how could he _not_ remember it...?

"We were... Oh, yeah, I remember!" Keele said triumphantly. Meredy looked confused, but she remained quiet.

"I took you two here because I wanted star fragments," she continued, trembling. "And then I released that Seal that unleashed a monster onto the village!"

"Farah—" Reid began.

She ignored him. "And then it _killed_ everyone!"

"Farah." Keele jumped to his feet sternly. "We were only seven. You mustn't—"

Her hands were visibly shaking by then. "_I_ killed everyone."

Keele rushed to her side before anyone else could move. "Farah! You know better than this! You know it wasn't your fault! We didn't kno—"

"But I did know!" she protested, standing to meet him. Her eyes glistened with tears, and Keele almost looked shocked to see them. "You and Reid can just put it behind you like that, but I can't! I did it!"

Keele sighed and whispered her name again. He held her arms firmly, then brought them to his chest. "Calm down, Farah."

She struggled, but he only drew her closer. "Keele—"

Reid frowned. Farah may have been upset, but that was as far as he saw. He knew that she was distressed and that she had a reason to be distressed. Wasn't that all there was to sympathy?

Farah coughed, and Keele removed one hand from her arm to place it on her back. She gave in, tilting her head to his chest, her breath still being jerked by the tears. Keele whispered to her slowly, "You were always our kind, strong leader. You did some rash things like all of us, but it was all with good intent, Farah. No one is perfect."

She did her best to hold her breath, anything to stop sobbing so openly. The vain endeavor prevented her from replying, and she buried her head in his robes. He smelled... nice, dare she say, like fresh mint. She chuckled hoarsely, then pushed him away.

"I-I'm sorry, Keele." She blushed immensely, bowing. "I—"

Keele smiled warmly. "It was all I could do to repay you, you know... For all those adventures."

She looked up to him again; it was strange to see him so genuinely concerned as he was. Had he... always been that way? She grinned to herself. Yes, he had—he was just a bit too timid to show it of his own will. Randomly, that would be. Any time he had an excuse it would be fine to get away with just one minute like that, right? As obsessed with his studies as he appeared, had he really been watching her all that time? Waiting until he knew exactly how she would react? She didn't doubt that one so intellectual could figure it out, even with Keele's... well, lack of social skills, be it as it were. That was how he approached everything, anyway—if there was some logic, some pattern behind it, he could learn it inside out and backwards. In his own creative way, he had made the human mind material for examination... And it was nice.

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